Grimsby, ON - Beamer Conservation Area
Grimsby, Ontario, Canada
Daily Raptor Counts: Apr 08, 2017
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Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total
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Black Vulture 0 0 1
Turkey Vulture 591 2845 4918
Osprey 1 2 3
Bald Eagle 0 3 24
Northern Harrier 1 13 24
Sharp-shinned Hawk 11 110 186
Cooper's Hawk 0 12 51
Northern Goshawk 0 0 0
Red-shouldered Hawk 2 44 297
Broad-winged Hawk 0 0 0
Red-tailed Hawk 23 207 808
Rough-legged Hawk 1 5 12
Golden Eagle 0 0 4
American Kestrel 0 12 30
Merlin 1 2 7
Peregrine Falcon 0 1 3
Unknown Accipiter 0 0 0
Unknown Buteo 0 5 32
Unknown Falcon 0 0 0
Unknown Eagle 0 0 0
Unknown Raptor 0 2 7
Total: 631 3263 6407
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Observation start time: 08:00:00
Observation end time: 16:00:00
Total observation time: 8 hours
Official Counter: Phil Waggett
Observers: Barry Cherriere, Brian Hayhoe, Craig Potter, Rob Porter,
Sandy Darling, Tom Lane
Visitors:
Many people were out enjoying the nice weather with several helping with
today's count.Brian Hayhoe, Rob Porter, Tom Lane, Brian Hawthorne, Sandy &
Jeni Darling, Craig Potter & Barb Crowell.
Weather:
Partly cloudy in the morning turning to clear in the afternoon.
Temperature rising from 2C to 14C late in the afternoon. Winds started out
moderate from the NNW slowly shifting to W and finally S in the last hour.
Raptor Observations:
The flight was dominated by turkey vultures which flew progressively higher
as the day progressed. The flight seemed to end abruptly when the winds
shifted to the south (no sign of a flight over the plain/QEW as I drove
home).
Local TV's, coops, and red-tails were active.
Non-raptor Observations:
A few notable passerines--2 fox sparrows and Rob Porter heard an easter
towhee. Northern flicker, eastern phoebe, and song sparrow were also seen.
Predictions:
Given the lack of a noticeable downflight, tomorrow morning may be slow but
Ripley once again had a good vulture flight today so some birds will be on
the move.
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Report submitted by Phil Waggett ()
Grimsby, ON - Beamer Conservation Area information may be found at:
http://www.niagarapeninsulahawkwatch.org/
Site Description:
Hawk migration monitoring at the Beamer Memorial Conservation Area in
Grimsby, Ontario is conducted by the Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch (NPH). All
counting is done by volunteers. Not all members are counters nor does a
counter have to be a member. Typically one person is the designated counter
for each day but other observers present assist with the spotting and
identification. Counting is done from a steel observation tower with a
wooden floor. For wind protection on cold days, particularly in March, a
black plastic wind guard is installed around the tower's platform. This
platform easily accommodates ten people but on most busy days, no more than
five or six observers would be on it.
The site lies within a publicly accessible property owned by the Niagara
Peninsula Conservation Authority. There is no charge for admittance. The
tower stands in the centre of a mowed area with a gravel ring road near the
outer edge. This provides lots of room to park vehicles (along the road)
and set up lawn chairs, telescopes and cameras. Toilet facilities are
present. During the counting season, the NPH erect a counting board to
display seven day's worth of observation data for the public. The box
enclosing the sign contains brochures and silhouette sheets for the public
as well as bulletin boards with news and historical sighting records.
Directions to site:
To get to Beamer CA, take the QEW to Exit 71/72, follow Christie
St./Mountain St. to the top of the escarpment, turn right on Ridge Road
West, and go 1.6km to Quarry Rd. Turn right on Quarry Rd. and drive 100m to
the conservation area. Parking is normally available inside the park. If
parking at the entrance or on the roads, do NOT leave valuables in your
car.
Please note: Data in this report is not official until reviewed and finalized
after the end of the season. ©2017 Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch
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